New to parenthood or new to Lakewood? Dreading one more day stuck at home with small children? Don't despair. It's that time of year when parents and children are trapped at home by the cold weather. Boredom has kids bouncing off the walls and parents are second guessing their decision to have kids in the first place. (This isn't just happening in your house.) Before you reach for that Wiggles DVD one more time check out what Lakewood has to offer young families. And most of it is free.

If you have a newborn and need a little company the Nursing Moms Chat has saved the sanity of many a new mother. Get help and advice from an experienced lactation consultant from Lakewood Hospital, meet other moms in the same boat, and make some new friends - friendships formed by new mothers are very similar to those forged by soldiers in combat. The Nursing Moms chat is held at the Lakewood Family Room every Wednesday 9:30-11:00 a.m.

The Lakewood Family Room has something for everyone and not all just for Lakewood residents. There are drop-ins on most days when you can bring your kids to play and maybe do crafts. Being in a place with different toys should amuse your little ones long enough that you might just get the chance to have a conversation with a grown up. The drop-ins include the Alternative Parenting Drop-In, Teen Parents, Under Ones and more. There are also Early Literacy programs for birth to 5 years and Parenting Plus – a parenting education series for parents and caregivers of kids from birth to 8 years.

The Lakewood Family Room is at 17400 Northwood Avenue (behind St. James Church), phone 216- 529-5018, or check out their programs online at www.ci.lakewood.oh.us/human_echild_dropin.html.

The Lakewood Library runs free story and music programs for kids from 9 months to age 6. Check them out at www.lkwdpl.org/youth – click on 'Story times'. Show up, shake a shaker, sing some songs, and you might just enjoy yourself as much as the little ones. Or, like me, you can sing the songs and shake the shaker as your child runs around the room vying for control of the book wagon with a bunch of the other toddlers. I am occasionally rewarded by seeing little hands clap. And yet, it's fun.

While you're at the library you could look up the programs being offered through the Lakewood Community Recreation and Education Department (www.lakewoodrecreation.com). Here you'll find programs like Kindermusik and even horse-back riding for the preschool crowd. Or what about the Beck Center's programs for preschoolers in music and literacy? They even have dance class from three years and up. Check out their programs at www.beckcenter.org, call 216-521-2540, or visit the Beck Center at 17801 Detroit Avenue.

And lastly, Lakewood Early Childhood PTA (LECPTA) exists entirely for preschoolers. It is a volunteer organization that runs everything from parties to playgroups with outings and activities for kids from infants on up (and also some outings for grownups). LECPTA regularly holds expert-run education workshops for parents. There's even a monthly newsletter. It's yet another way to meet other parents and get out of the house. Contact them at www.LECPTA.com.

Hopefully something here will work for you. If not, we'll see you in the park when the weather warms up.